Giants' Burress gradually shedding negative labels

Wednesday

Jan 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMJan 30, 2008 at 11:39 AM

In his first five seasons in the NFL, Plaxico Burress made many friends with the Pittsburgh Steelers but never reached the Super Bowl. After he left as a free agent in 2005, the Steelers won the title.

In his first five seasons in the NFL, Plaxico Burress made many friends with the Pittsburgh Steelers but never reached the Super Bowl. After he left as a free agent in 2005, the Steelers won the title.

Some of the receiver's friends, such as Hines Ward, Joey Porter and James Farrior, remembered his telephone number. "The next day, after they won, they were like, 'Hey, man, you just missed it,' " Burress recalled.

But they were not calling just to tease a friend. According to Burress, they also said to him: "We love you. We're sorry you missed it. Go out and get your own."

Now, Burress has a chance to run up their cellular minutes.

Burress is a big reason the New York Giants have advanced to Super Bowl XLII, Sunday against unbeaten New England. The eighth-year pro from Michigan State had a solid season with 70 receptions for 1,025 yards, but it was his monster game in the NFC championship game that most helped send the Giants to Glendale, Ariz.

In single-digit temperatures on Jan. 20 in Green Bay, Wis., Burress caught 11 passes for 154 yards as New York beat the Packers 23-20 in overtime.

The reception total was the most by Burress in a game in his career. His repeated one-on-one battles with Packers cornerback Al Harris made for a major theme in a dramatic game. Television cameras showed not only their hand-to-hand combat but their mouth-to-mouth exchanges of heated words.

"It was a great battle," Burress said. "We had fun out there. We were saying a few things that weren't allowable for TV."

To reach this point, Burress had to overcome a severe sprain to his right ankle that kept him out of practice most of the season, and a lingering but fading reputation as someone who did not always project a team concept or cooperate with coaches.

Coincidentally, the ankle was damaged in the second game of the season when Harris stepped on it. The ankle got stronger in December, allowing Burress to take limited but regular practice throws from Eli Manning.

His demeanor seemed to improve a year ago after he and his wife, Tiffany, were joined by their newborn son, Elijah. Asked about his maturity at age 30, Burress said he had learned that he was only human. "My mind is in the right state," he said.

That has not always been the case in Burress' career.

The Steelers selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2000 draft. His rookie year was cut short by a wrist injury, but he rebounded with three straight solid seasons, including a 78-catch, 1,325-yard effort in 2002.

Yet his moody behavior contributed to Pittsburgh's showing little desire to give Burress an extension before the 2004 season, the last year of his contract. So an angry Burress boycotted minicamp and received a fine. When Burress missed five of Pittsburgh's final six games because of a hamstring injury, the tag of "problem player" was firmly cemented. So long, Steelers.

Burress immediately made an impact with the Giants both for the good (10 catches, 204 yards in his fourth game) and the bad. The 2005 season ended with a 23-0 playoff loss to Carolina in which Burress was upset he wasn't getting the ball more. He blew off a mandatory meeting the day after the loss, for which he was fined by coach Tom Coughlin, and stayed in Florida rather than returning for offseason workouts.

He explained his behavior as "my way of expressing my frustration" and offered no apology.

In 2006, Burress sat out a game against Houston because of back spasms and, three weeks later, mentally sat out of the Tennessee loss -- or so his teammates thought. Giants defensive end Michael Strahan ripped Burress for his attitude.

"You're not quitting on yourself, you're quitting on us," Strahan said during a radio interview after the loss.

But Burress has slowly begun to alter his negative image. Coaches say he's spending extra time in the film room and showing a new toughness in playing through injuries to his ankle, thumb and knees.

"Since the time of the (ankle) injury, there have been weeks where he hasn't been able to practice at all and he has still been focused," Coughlin said. "He has studied. He has known his assignments.

"At the beginning of the week, we don't know whether he can go or not. And then by Wednesday the trainer will tell us, 'Maybe he can be limited.' "

He sure wasn't limited in the NFC title game, and he sees no reason why he can't turn in another big game Sunday.

"When your confidence grows, you play with a swagger," Burress said. "When you play with a swagger, you think you're the best thing on the field."

Information from The Kansas City Star was used in this story.

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